706th Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 706th Fighter Squadron (706 FS) is part of the 926th Group
at Nellis Air Force Base
, Nevada
. Its mission is to oversee Air Force Reserve Command members assigned to the United States Air Force Warfare Center
, supporting missions in its 57th Wing
, 53d Wing
and 505th Command and Control Wing
. Pilots assigned to the 706 FS fly F-16, F-15C, F-15E and A-10 aircraft.
for training in Arizona and Colorado for overseas duty. Deployed to European Theater of Operations
(ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command
in England
in November 1943.
Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
, attacking transportation, industrial, Oil Industry and other targets as directed. Also engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy forces in France
in support of the Operation Overlord
landings in Normandy
, and the subsequent breakout at St-Lo in July 1944. Changed equipment from B-24 Liberators to B-17 Flying Fortresses in July 1944. Attacked enemy formations and armor during the Battle of the Bulge
, January 1945. Continued bombardment of strategic targets until the German Capitulation in May.
Largely demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; small cadre of personnel reassembled at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota
in July and prepared for transition training on B-29 Superfortress
es. The Japanese Capitulation led to the cancellation of training and the units final inactivation at the end of August.
Reactivated in the reserves again in 1955 as a Troop Carrier Squadron. Flew various second-line transports, inactivated as a result of funding reductions in 1957. Reactivated as a C-119 Flying Boxcar
reserve squadron in 1959, upgrading to C-130 Hercules in 1969. It transitioned to and trained for A-37
and A-10
offensive and defensive capabilities, including close air support
from, 1978-1992. The squadron was called to active duty and flew combat in Southwest Asia
from, August 1990-February 1991 as part of Operation Desert Shield/Storm.
over Bosnia
from, March–April 1995.
926th Group
The 926th Group ' is a United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:The 926th Group is an associate unit to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis AFB...
at Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. Its mission is to oversee Air Force Reserve Command members assigned to the United States Air Force Warfare Center
United States Air Force Warfare Center
The United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, reports directly to Air Combat Command. The Center was founded 1 September 1966, as the U.S. Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center. It was renamed the U.S...
, supporting missions in its 57th Wing
57th Wing
The 57th Wing is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Warfare Center, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.The 57 WG's mission is to provide well trained and well equipped combat forces ready to deploy into a combat arena to conduct integrated combat operations.-Mission:The 57...
, 53d Wing
53d Wing
The 53d Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Mission:The 53d Wing serves as the focal point for the Combat Air Forces in electronic warfare, armament and avionics, chemical defense, reconnaissance, and aircrew training devices...
and 505th Command and Control Wing
505th Command and Control Wing
The United States Air Force's 505th Command and Control Wing is organized under the USAF Warfare Center. The 505th CCW is dedicated to improving warfighter readiness through integrated training, tactics development and testing for operational-level command and control of air, space and cyberspace...
. Pilots assigned to the 706 FS fly F-16, F-15C, F-15E and A-10 aircraft.
World War II
Established in early 1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron; assigned to II Bomber CommandII Bomber Command
The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
for training in Arizona and Colorado for overseas duty. Deployed to European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in November 1943.
Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, attacking transportation, industrial, Oil Industry and other targets as directed. Also engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy forces in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in support of the Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
landings in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, and the subsequent breakout at St-Lo in July 1944. Changed equipment from B-24 Liberators to B-17 Flying Fortresses in July 1944. Attacked enemy formations and armor during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, January 1945. Continued bombardment of strategic targets until the German Capitulation in May.
Largely demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; small cadre of personnel reassembled at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
in July and prepared for transition training on B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
es. The Japanese Capitulation led to the cancellation of training and the units final inactivation at the end of August.
Cold War
Became a B-29 Superfortress bombardment squadron in the Air Force Reserve in 1948; was ordered to active service in May 1951 with unit personnel and equipment being reassigned to units in Far East Air Force. Squadron was inactivated administratively as a paper unit in June.Reactivated in the reserves again in 1955 as a Troop Carrier Squadron. Flew various second-line transports, inactivated as a result of funding reductions in 1957. Reactivated as a C-119 Flying Boxcar
C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
reserve squadron in 1959, upgrading to C-130 Hercules in 1969. It transitioned to and trained for A-37
A-37 Dragonfly
The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a United States light attack aircraft developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer in the 1960s and 1970s...
and A-10
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
offensive and defensive capabilities, including close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
from, 1978-1992. The squadron was called to active duty and flew combat in Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
from, August 1990-February 1991 as part of Operation Desert Shield/Storm.
Modern era
It has trained in F-16 fighter operations since 1992. The 706th also participated in UN patrols to enforce a no-fly zoneNo-fly zone
A no-fly zone is a territory or an area over which aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in a military context, somewhat like a demilitarized zone in the sky, and usually prohibit military aircraft of a belligerent nation from operating in the region.-Iraq,...
over Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
from, March–April 1995.
Lineage
- Constituted 706th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 Mar 1943
- Activated on 1 Apr 1943
- Redesignated 706th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 Aug 1943
- Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945
- Redesignated 706th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 26 Sep 1947
- Activated in the Reserve on 26 Mar 1948
- Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949
- Redesignated 706th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 9 Sep 1955
- Activated in the Reserve on 8 Oct 1955
- Inactivated on 16 Nov 1957
- Activated in the Reserve on 7 Feb 1959
- Redesignated: 706th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1967
- Redesignated: 706th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Apr 1978
- Redesignated: 706th Fighter Squadron on 1 Feb 1992.
Assignments
- 446th Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1943-28 Aug 1945; 26 Mar 1948-27 Jun 1949
- 446th Troop Carrier Group, 8 Oct 1955-16 Nov 1957; 7 Feb 1959
- 446th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959
- 926th Troop Carrier (later, 926 Tactical Airlift; 926 Tactical Fighter; 926 Fighter) Group926th GroupThe 926th Group ' is a United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:The 926th Group is an associate unit to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis AFB...
, 17 Jan 1963
- Attached to: 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)354th Fighter WingThe 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces . It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force .-Overview:...
, 15 Aug 1990 – 25 Mar 1991- 926th Operations Group926th GroupThe 926th Group ' is a United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:The 926th Group is an associate unit to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis AFB...
, 1 Aug 1992
- 926th Operations Group
- Flight Attached to 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 2002-Undetermined
- 926th Group926th GroupThe 926th Group ' is a United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:The 926th Group is an associate unit to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis AFB...
, 17 Aug 2007–Present
- 926th Group
Stations
- Davis-Monthan Field, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, 1 Apr 1943 - Lowry Field, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 8 Jun-c. 24 Oct 1943 - RAF Flixton (AAF-125), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 4 Nov 1943-5 Jul 1945 - Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, 15 Jul-28 Aug 1945. - Biggs Air Force Base, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 26 Mar 1948-27 Jun 1949. - Donaldson Air Force BaseDonaldson Air Force BaseDonaldson Air Force Base is a closed facility of the United States Air Force. Currently known as Donaldson Center, the former Air Force Base is located south of Greenville, South Carolina....
, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(1955–1957) - Barksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 8 Oct 1955-16 Nov 1957
- Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New OrleansNaval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New OrleansNaval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans is a base of the United States military located in Belle Chasse, unincorporated Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. NAS JRB New Orleans is home to the 159th Fighter Wing as well as other naval activities...
, Louisiana, 8 May 1961
- Operated from: King Fahd International AirportKing Fahd International AirportKing Fahd International Airport is located 20 kilometers northwest of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It is the largest airport in the world in terms of land area . The airport's basic infrastructure was complete by the end of 1990, which allowed the Allied forces engaged in the first Gulf War in early...
, Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, 15 Aug 1990 – 25 Mar 1991 (Operation Desert Shield/Storm) - Flight operated from Bagram AB, AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, 2002-Undetermined (Operation Enduring Freedom) - Flights operated from Whiteman AFB, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
; Barksdale AFB, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, September 2005-Aug 2007 (Hurricane Katrina)- Nellis AFB, NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, 26 Oct 2007–Present
- Nellis AFB, Nevada
Aircraft
- F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
(2006–Present) - F-15E Strike EagleF-15E Strike EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force F-15E Strike...
(2006–Present) - F-15C Eagle (2006–Present)
- A-10 Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
(1996–Present) - F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
(1992–1996) - A-10 Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
(1981–1992)
- A-37 DragonflyA-37 DragonflyThe Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a United States light attack aircraft developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer in the 1960s and 1970s...
(1978–1982) - C-130 HerculesC-130 HerculesThe Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
(1969–1978) - C-119 Flying BoxcarC-119 Flying BoxcarThe Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
(1959–1970) - C-46 CommandoC-46 CommandoThe Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
(1956–1957) - C-45 ExpeditorBeechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
(1955–1957) - B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
(1943–1945)